Give an example of a clinical problem that would be best study with a quantitative approach and one that Essay

Blue class Susan B . War paper INDENET FIRST WORD IN PARAGRAPH.

Blue class

Susan B .

War paper

INDENET FIRST WORD IN PARAGRAPH. – Wars seem to be inevitable events in history, when we hear about war we only think of tragedy. The Vietnam War era brought a lot of changes in many aspects,changing ourlives forever. The United States involvement played a huge role in the Vietnam War; and still today it remains one of the most memorable conflicts in history. A lot of survivors are still alive and their stories willlive forever. This era also shows us that positive things can come out of these tragic events such as people’s creativities. Many famous musicians came out during the era of the Vietnam War. YES

One of the greatest musicians was Joan Baez. YES Joan Baez is a folk singer from Staten Island New York. She is of Mexican and Scottish decent.She became known after performing at the 1959 Newport folk festival. Her songs are known for promoting social justice, civil rights and pacifism. According to biography.com she became a crucial part of folk music genre’s commercial rebirth in the 1960s. Some of her famous songs during the Vietnam War era were, “Saigon Bride”, “We Shall Overcome” and “Oh Freedom”. “Saigon Bride” tellsthe story of a soldier who leaves behind his bride to go to war(Shadowpoof). NEED PERSONS NAME LIKE U DID IN WORKS CITED PAGE. – -Some heart touching lyrics of this song are “How many death men will it take to build a dike that will not break? How many children must we kill before we make the waves stand still?” This song was based on a poem sent to her by Nina Duschek. People were drawn to her songs and identified themselves with her songs becoming the curator of civil disobedience, anti war, as well as bringing positive and humane change to the world during the Vietnam war era.

Another important musician that was a huge part of this era is Bob Dylan. YES He was born to the name of Robert Allen Zimmerman in Duluth, Minnesota. His music interest was driven by the influences of early rock stars like Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis and Little Richard. In his earlier life he formed his own bands called the Golden Chords. Dylan began performing folk and country songs at local cafes in Minnesota while being in university. In 1961 one of his performances received a review from The New York Times that signed him a recording contract with Columbia Records in which he then changed his name to Dylan

Some of his most famous songs were “A Hard Rain’s a-Gonna Fall” and “Blownin’ in the wind”.These two songs defined him as a part of the 60’s protest and anti war movement (Sanjana Ray).LAST NAME ONLY – Some powerful lyrics from his song “A Hard Rain’s a-Gonna Fall” is “I saw a white ladder all covered with water I saw ten thousand talkers whose tongues were all broken I saw guns and sharp swords in the hands of young children And it’s a hard, it’s a hard, it’s a hard, and it’s a hard It’s a hard rain’s a-gonna fall.”. These meaningful lyrics describes the death and destruction caused during the Vietnam War. This song also talks about the youth of Americabeing shipped off across the ocean to fight in the Vietnam War. Dylan wrote “Blownin’ in the Wind” in under ten minutes while being in a cafe in New York. This song became known as the battle cry against war and racial discrimination. Till this day this song remains one of the most powerful songs of change.Even in recent times these songsserve a voice of speaking out against global injustice.

Amongstthe great musicians who submerged during the Vietnam War era is Pete Seeger. YES Pete Seeger was born in New York City. He is known for being an American folk musician and social activist whose music inspired many because of the outspoken lyrics about freedom and justice.His music also got him blacklisted from radio and television for years. Seeger came from a family of musicians. His songs touched the hearts of many people because the lyrics were so clear and direct giving the message that we should bring the soldiers fighting in the war back home with their families.

One of his most famous songs about the Vietnam War is “Bring em’ Home” that was released in 1966. This song was opposing American involvement in the VietnamWar from the start. The lyrics of this song are very powerful and show deep sentiment about the soldiers fighting in the war. One very powerful lyricthat makes a clear statement is “Bring em’ home, bring em’ home” which are repeated in every other line of the song. These lyrics emphasize that America should pull our military out of Vietnam. Another heart touching song is “Waist Deep in the Big Muddy”, this song puts out the message about an army patrol that almost drowns crossing a river in Louisiana in 1942. People quickly understood the allusion this has to the Vietnam War. Seeger was also recognized by winning awards. In 1994 he won The National Medal of Arts. He was also included in the Rock and Roll hall of Fame in 1996. As well as one of his biggest awards was winning his first Grammy Award for Pete in 1996 (Britannica). He was still releasing music in recent years, in 2010 he released his album called “Tomorrow’s Children” which was dedicated to environmental awareness.

Adding to the many famous musicians whose songs became the voice for anti-war movements during the Vietnam era were The Rolling Stones. YES The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in London on 1962. The members of the band are Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood, Charlie Watts, Brian Jones, and Bill Wayman. The forming of this band happened when Mick Jagger and Keith Richards encountered eachother at a train station in England. The two knew eachotherback in grammar school but lost touch after leaving that school. The Rolling Stones first debuted on July of 1962. They became popular in the United States in 1964 because their songs were identified with the youthful and rebellious movements of the 1960s (Wikipedia). One of their most famous songs was “Gimme Shelter”, this song was inspired by the Vietnam War. According to an article written by Alex Browne, Mick Jagger said once in an interview that the Vietnam War was a very rough and violent era, there was violence on the screens, pillage and burning. This war was not like any other war, it was the nastiest war and people were all against it. One powerful lyric of “Gimme Shelter” was “Rape, murder. It’s just a shot away. It’s just a shot away”. (BROWN) These lyrics were powerful and described all the cruel deaths that happened during the Vietnam war.

Lastly another well known musician during this era was Arlo Guthrie. YES Arlo Guthrie is an American folk singer and songwriter. He was born in Brooklyn, New York to his famous father Woody Guthrie who was also a famous folk singer and songwriter. Arlo Guthrie is known for singing songs that protest social injustice and storytelling. He was inspired by his father and his friends who were also musicians. He also made several appearances in acting. One of his most famous songs is “Alice’s Restaurant’s Massacree”. The creation of this song is very powerful because it was inspired by a real life incident that happened to Guthrie on Thanksgiving day of 1965. Guthrie was arrested for illegally dumping on private property after the local landfill was closed for the holiday. Later that incident Guthrie appeared in court pleading guilty to the charges that resulted in a fine and some community service.

The famous song tells the story of his incident and how his arrest prevented him from being drafted to fight in the Vietnam War and it also tells that Guthrie is unfit to service in the war (William Ruhlmann). LAST NAME ONLY – This song is also greatly known for being a long eighteen minutes and that is mostly spoken in monologue. When he first performed this song live it got him signed to Warner Bros. Records and it even entered the Billboard magazine Top LP’s chart. It also stayed in the Billboard charts for 65 weeks. This song’s success was a great deal because it was also adapted into a motion picture and he was the star of the film(William Ruhlmann). Later the movie Alice’s Restaurant premiered at the New York Film Festival on August 24, 1969.

This song was also certified platinum in 1986 as well as becoming a tradition for radios to play every year on Thanksgiving Day.

As you can see The Vietnam War era produced some of the greatest, most impactful music ever recorded. Wars seem to be inevitable events in history and when we hear the word “war” we only think of violence, tragedy and death.Besides of all this tragedy these musicians showed us that creativity can be born evenduring rough times. This era was one that brought to light many talented musicians, whose music to protest and end the war gave people hope. Some songs even accompanied the soldiers who were fighting during the Vietnam War at the time, like the songs by Joan Baez. All of these famous songs added force for people’s opposition against war and it also became a part of a wider counterculture movement.

IN YOUR CONCLUSION THE NAMES OF THE BANDS OR SINGERS AGAIN. THANKS.

B

Work Cited JUST USE YOUR TAB KEY. DO NOT USE SPACE BAR FOR ALIGHNMENT. THANKS.

Browne, Alex. “9 Of the Best Songs Associated With the Vietnam War.” History Hit, History Hit, 8 May 2019, www.historyhit.com/best-songs-associated-with-the-vietnam-war/.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Pete Seeger.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 29 Apr. 2020, www.britannica.com/biography/Pete-Seeger.

Pelly, Liz. “Five Songs Of Resistance: The Protest Songs Of Joan Baez.” Shadowproof, 16 Jan. 2020, shadowproof.com/2017/07/01/five-songs-resistance-joan-baez/.

YOU WROTE SHADOWPROOF IN YOUR PAPER AND U WROTE PELLY HERE. THEY BOTH HAVE TO B IDENTICAL. THANKS.

Ray, Sanjana. “How Bob Dylan Changed the Course of History through His Music.” YourStory.com, Sanjana Ray, 24 May 2017, yourstory.com/2017/05/music-of-bob-dylan?utm_pageloadtype=scroll.

“The Rolling Stones.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 7 May 2020, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Rolling_Stones.

Ruhlmann, William. “Arlo Guthrie: Biography & History.” AllMusic, All Music, www.allmusic.com/artist/arlo-guthrie-mn0000927736/biography.

B

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?????introduction External Analysis 1. Porter’s Five Forces 1.1Strong Rivalry 1.1.1The number and

Give an example of a clinical problem that would be best study with a quantitative approach and one that Essay ?????introduction

External Analysis

1. Porter’s Five Forces

1.1Strong Rivalry 

1.1.1The number and size of competitors 

The Athlete Apparel Industry is a fragmented industry with Top competitors.

Competitors include Nike ?largest sport apparel brand with $39.1 billion sales in 2019), Adidas Group AG ($26.0 billion sales in 2019), Under Armour (5.3 billion sales in 2019). (Lululemon, p82)

Sports and fitness apparel market for women is also intensely competitive.

New entrants are eager in this potential incremental market.

Competitors in this market include The Gap (acquired Athleta with $150 million in 2008), Nordstrom (introducing its own Zella line for workouts) and Victoria Secrets (offering sports brand items).?Lululemon, p83)

1.1.2 Medium-High degree of Industry Product Standardization

Except for Lululemon, their competitors’ prices are close.

Athleta, Zella and Victoria Secrets’ collections are generally 10% to 25% lower than that of lululemon products of the same type. Nike, Under Armour, and Adidas’s selling prices are less expensive than lululemon’s similar items. (Lululemon, p83)

The technology and design that lululemon is proud of will continue to be indifferent from other brands.

1.1.3 Low degree of switching costs

1.1.4 Medium-High Growth in demand for products

The Sports and fitness apparel market was forecast to grow at roughly five percent annually through 2026. (Lululemon, p74)

Yoga practitioners are increasing, from 15.8 million in 2008 to 36.7 million in 2015. (Lululemon, p74)

1.2 Weak to Moderate Buyer Power

1.2.1 Medium-Low Buyer Bargaining Power

Low buyer switching costs

Medium-Low buyer concentration

Lululemon’s products sold mainly through their company-operated retail store and website, accounted for 91.4 percent of company revenues. (Lululemon, p70)

Dissimilarly, Lululemon’s competitors sell through different channels including independent distributors, third-party retailers, franchisers,wholesalers, etc.

Medium possibility of buyer backward integration

Number of national and regional retailers seeking to capitalize are selling high-tech fabric activewear under their own labels. (Lululemon, p83)

1.2.2 Medium Buyer Price Sensitivity

Suppliers’ products sold at a discount

Approximately 95 percent of the merchandise in lululemon stores was sold at full price, the excesses are shipped to Factory outlets with discounted prices. (Lululemon, p77)

Other companies, however, do not follow the same discipline as Lululemon. For instance, Under Armour operated 104 factory outlet stores. (Lululemon, p83)

Product Is not a Significant Proportion Of Consumer’s Costs

Product doesn’t affect consumers’ performance very much

Product doesn’t save customer’s money

1.3 Weak Supplier Power

1.3.1Concentration and size of Suppliers

The number of suppliers is larger than buyers in the Athletic Apparel industry since most companies choose to outsource their production process.

Lululemon’s fabrics were sourced from approximately 76 fabric manufacturers; garments were sourced from approximately 39 manufacturers. (Lululemon, p80)

1.3.2 Low Difficulty of Switching Suppliers

Lululemon refrained from long-term contracts and preferred an order-by-order basis business. (Lululemon, p80)

1.3.3 Medium-Low Possibility of Supplier Forward Integration

 Covid-19 has provided manufacturers from different countries an opportunity to contact consumers directly.

1.4 Moderate to Strong Threat of New Entrants

1.4.1 Medium Incumbent Firms’ Cost Advantages

Investment in plant and machinery required to enter industry is needless. Most companies in this industry outsource their production.

Large size of investment in marketing needed to match incumbent brand awareness

The main competitors, Nike, Adidas and Under Armour all aggressively markets and promotes their products through sponsorship of athletic events and high-profile athletes. (Lululemon, p82)

1.4.2 Other Incumbent Firm Advantages

The existing brand has neutral influence in customer purchase decisions. This includes the network effects brought by the marketing investments.

Low switching cost for incumbents’ customers

1.4.3 Additional Considerations

As in 1.1.4, the growth rate in the athletic apparel industry is continually increasing. Thereby attracting new entrants to the battlefield. The companies with sufficient capital are able to combine their existing competitive advantage with management.

The Gap acquired Athleta at $150 million (Sufficient Capital).

Nordstorm used their retail channel to support the Zella line.

Victoria Secret used their brand awareness introducing Sport Label. (Lululemon, p84)

1.5 Weak Threat of Substitute Products

The substitute products are difficult to find or acquire. 

Athletic Apparel Market is a subdivision of the apparel market that has specific focus on functions. 

Consumers could still wear general apparel for daily workout, with a cheaper price and worse performance.

Low Customer switching costs

1.6 Conclusions: Overall Industry Attractiveness

With a Strong Competitor Rivalry, Weak to Moderate Buyer Power, Weak Supplier Power, Moderate to Strong of New Entrants, Weak Threat of Substitutes, athletic apparel industry is unattractive. 

Although the low buyer power, supplier power, irreplaceability and growing market make this industry look profitable, fierce competition and ambitious new entrants reduce this market’s attractiveness and Profitability to a minimum. For small businesses without capital, the investment in marketing by leading companies such as Nike and Adidas is unmatched and has established extremely high barriers. 

For other apparel brands, the research and development costs of new technologies, the influence and professionalism of existing brands make them only able to use sportswear as the icing on the cake, and it is difficult for them to open up new markets and win higher profits. 

2. General Environment

2.1 Complementary products or services

2.1.1 Potential complementary products/services for Lululemon:

Fitness & yoga equipment, (such as yoga MATS and other tools),

Sports nutrition & sports event apparel supplements

2.1.2 Product diversification and cross-industry cooperation

In 2020, lululemon offered a diverse and growing selection of premium-priced performance apparel and accessories for women, female youths and men that were designed for healthy lifestyle activities such as yoga, swimming, running, cycling, and general fitness. (Page75)

Every lululemon store had a community coordinator who developed a customized plan for organizing, sponsoring, and participating in local athletic, fitness, and philanthropic events. (Page80)

2.2 Technological change?Trends in new threats?

2.2.1 There are many strong competitors in similar industries

lululemon competed with direct sellers of premium performance athletic apparel made of high-tech fabrics, most especially Nike, The adidas Group AG and Under Armour. (Page82)

2.2.2 Competitors are technologically advanced and constantly innovating

Under Armour regularly upgrades its products, which are made entirely from technologically advanced, high-performance fabrics and are designed to be aesthetically appealing while providing high functionality and comfort. (Page83)

2.2.3 New Entrants into the Sports and Fitness Apparel Market for Women

Retailers responded to the growing market for women’s sports and fitness apparel by introducing brands and product lines to compete in this segment. Entrants into this segment of the apparel market included The Gap, Nordstrom, and Victoria’s Secret. (Page83)

2.3 General economic conditions

2.3.1 Instability in the economic system

In June 2020, most all chain retailers and local businesses were wrestling with the uncertainty created by the global pandemic, store closures, and the extent to which consumer buying and shopping patterns would be affected both in the short term and the long term. (Page84)

2.3.2 Unemployment rate & inflation

2.4 Population demographics?Trends in new opportunities?

2.4.1 There are a large number of female yoga practitioners around the world

Worldwide, it was estimated that there were about 300 million yoga practitioners. Group or class yoga exercises were women, and close to 62 percent of all yoga practitioners were in the age range of 18-49. (Page74)

2.4.2 Yoga-related spending is on the rise

Spending on yoga classes, yoga apparel, equipment, and accessories was an estimated $16.8 billion, up from $10.3 billion in 2012, and $5.7 billion in 2008. (Page74)

2.4.3 The size of the sportswear market is growing steadily

The global market for all types of sportswear, activewear, and athletic apparel was estimated to be about $250 bil1ion in 2020 and was forecast to grow at roughly five percent annually through 2026. Sales of various types of sports apparel was among the fastest-growing segments in the $3 trillion. (Page74)

2.5 Ecological/natural environment?Trends in new threats?

2.5.1 Sustainable raw materials

2.5.2 The recycling of pollution caused by manufacturing and new energy production models

2.6 Global competitive forces?Trends in new opportunities?

2.61 The changeability of store space

The floor space allocated to merchandising displays and customer shopping could be sufficiently cleared to enable the store to hold an in-store yoga class before or after regular shopping hours. (Page77)

2.6.2 Continuous improvement of the e-commerce system

The company planned to continue to develop and enhance its e-commerce websites in ways that would provide a distinctive online shopping experience and strengthen its brand reputation. With e-commerce sales climbing from $106.3 million in fiscal 2011 to $1.14 billion in fiscal 2019,28.6 percent of total revenues. (Page79)

2.6.3 Shorter product development cycles

Typically, it took 8 to 10 months for lululemon products to move from the design stage to availability in its retail stores; however, the company had the capability to bring select new products to market in as little as two months. (Page79)

2.6.4 Regular market research and analysis

Design team members regularly visited retail stores in CL proactive effort to solicit feedback on existing products from store customers and fitness ambassadors and to gather their ideas for product improvements and new products. (Page79)

2.7 Political, legal, and regulatory force

2.7.1 Quality and ethical business conduct

All manufacturers were required to adhere to a vendor code of ethics regarding quality of manufacturing, working conditions, environmental responsibility, fair wage practices, and compliance with child labor laws, among others. (Page80)

2.7.2Monitor supplier business practices

lululemon utilized the services of a leading inspection and verification firm to closely monitor each supplier’s compliance with applicable law, lululemon’s vendor code of ethics, and other business practices that could reflect badly on lululemon’s choice of suppliers. (Page79)

2.8 Social/cultural forces?Trends in new opportunities)

2.8.1 A culture in which people yearn for a healthy life

lululemon executives sought to promote and ingrain a set of core values centered on developing the highest-quality products, operating with integrity, leading a healthy balanced life, and instilling in its employees a sense of self responsibility and the value of goal setting. (Page81)

2.8.2 Entrepreneurship, including philanthropic activities

2.9 Conclusion

In conclusion, it is evident that with the improvement of people’s life quality, people pay more attention to health, and more and more people are willing to consume yoga-related products. This is an excellent opportunity for Lululemon, but Lululemon should develop more products suitable for men to gain the whole market. In addition, Lululemon has strong competitiveness in the industry by virtue of its core competitiveness. However, if Lululemon wants to continue to grow bigger and stronger, it must keep innovating while maintaining its existing advantages to improve its comprehensive competitiveness. However, Lululemon faces apparent challenges. Firstly, more and more clothing companies have started to enter the sportswear business. Lululemon must keep its production technology updated literally. Otherwise, it will be easily defeated by competitors. Lululemon needs to explore greener raw materials and production methods so it does not become obsolete while maintaining the legality and ethics of its manufacturing operations. Finally, and more importantly, it is impossible to predict the future of the economy, as Lululemon is doing with its e-commerce business, which will help keep it going when natural disasters strike

Internal Analysis

3. Financial Analysis

3.1 Balance Sheet

3.2 Income Statement

3.3 Selected Key Ratios 

3.4 Common Size Balance Sheet

3.5 Conclusion:

To conclude, by analyzing the Profitability of Lululemon, we can find that the company had a relatively stable growth trend. The Operating Profit Margin has increased from 17.9% to 22.3% in the past five years by about 20%, which indicates that Lululemon’s merchandise sales provide high Operating Profit and reflect the company’s strong profitability. In addition, through analysis of Efficiency Ratios trend, We found that Lululemon’s Inventory Turnover began to decline significantly in the last five years, and  the total assets turnover experienced significant fluctuations in the previous five years, which was a very unhealthy signal. There was a risk that lululemon would not have enough liquidity to execute its strategy. Lululemon’s top management should have conducted an in-depth analysis of its production chain and increased the production of popular products to significantly increase the number of products sold and thus improve inventory turnover. In addition, unsalable products stored in the warehouse date for a long time can adopt discount sales and other means, timely processing.

According to the financial data analysis of 2019, the virus-related impact also had a particular impact on Lululemon’s performance. Lululemon had to implement plans such as closing stores or reducing business hours to cope with emergencies. Lululemon’s Total Liabilities grew 47%. Lululemon should stick to its plan to enhance its e-commerce site, which not only enhances the shopping experience for consumers but also has an effective solution for unexpected situations, and it’s proven to be so; the e-commerce sales climbed from $106.3 million in fiscal 2011 to $1.14 billion in fiscal 2019 Annual Growth rate of 34.5 percent)

From the overall financial reporting data, Lululemon is in a relatively healthy position, with the company maintaining a steady increase in sales, but there is robust global competition in the sports and fitness apparel market. There are established companies that are expanding their high-performance product lines and new entrants attracted by growth opportunities. Lululemon should reduce costs of goods sold and operating expenses, while ensuring its advantages in product quality, performance features, brand image and awareness to expand its Market Share. Nike had global sales of $39.1 billion in 2019, while Adidas had global sales of $26 billion in the same year. Meanwhile, Gap bought Athleta for $150 million in 2008, also joining the sports and fitness apparel market competition. Lululemon needs to reduce operating expenses and cost of goods sold scientifically and reasonably through efficient internal management to achieve higher revenue, which is used for continuous investment in efficient internal management, product design, technology upgrading and other aspects to improve its core competitiveness.

4. Competitive Advantage and VRIO

4.1 Resources

4.1.1 Physical Store Resources:

Lululemon has 491 stores in 17 countries. (P 76) That making it possible for Lululemon customers to buy products worldwide thanks to its store expansion strategy. This is something that many new and existing competitors will not be able to emulate in a short time.  In addition, the multi-country store expansion strategy helps Lululemon increase international brand awareness in the customer’s mind.

Is the resource Valuable?

Is the resources Rare?

Is the resource Inimitable?

Is the company organized to exploit?

Yes

No

No

Yes

Competitive Advantages

4.1.2 Human resource:

Lululemon’s management team is all influential people in the retail field, such as Christine M. Day and Robert Meers mentioned in the case. Although they have left Lululemon in the process of development, they all contribute a lot of value to Lululemon (P70)

Is the resource Valuable?

Is the resources Rare?

Is the resource Inimitable?

Is the company organized to exploit?

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

Durable Competitive Advantages

4.1.3 Business partners:

Lululemon has close working relationships with commercial partners, such as Manufacturers, Fabric suppliers. (P 80) These resources have enabled Lululemon to achieve a more efficient, high-quality, and differentiated growth strategy.

Is the resource Valuable?

Is the resources Rare?

Is the resource Inimitable?

Is the company organized to exploit?

Yes

No

No

Yes

Competitive Advantages

4.1.4 Lululemon community: 

Lululemon recruits professional yoga instructors to provide customers with free yoga classes and knowledge, and Customer-centric selling has brought customers closer to Lululemon, and customers have become loyal and improved brand awareness.

Is the resource Valuable?

Is the resources Rare?

Is the resource Inimitable?

Is the company organized to exploit?

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Durable Competitive Advantages

4.2 Capabilities

4.2.1 Inbound Logistics:

Lululemon leases, owns, or co-operates distribution centers in the United States, Canada, Australia, China, and the Netherlands, providing a steady flow of new inventory to stores worldwide (P 80). Multiple distribution centers were established to meet store expansion strategies in multiple countries, which provided fast shipping channels and a steady flow of inventory to stores in countries around the world.

Is the resource Valuable?

Is the resources Rare?

Is the resource Inimitable?

Is the company organized to exploit?

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

Durable Competitive Advantages

4.2.2 Marketing and sales:

Lululemon’s stores are located mainly in street locations and upscale strip shopping centers. According to the data provided by Lululemon, it achieved sales per square foot of $1,657, which is a suitable date in the retail industry. (P 76, 77) In addition, Lululemon completed 1.4billion online sales business in 2020 (P 78); these figures prove Lululemon’s ability in marketing and sales

These sales capabilities provide a capability for Lululemon in two critical ways: 1. their online sales success means they can withstand force majeure effects such as COVID-19; 2. due to the expansion of sales volume, the cost of material will be reduced to reach out the point of cost advantage.

Is the resource Valuable?

Is the resources Rare?

Is the resource Inimitable?

Is the company organized to exploit?

Yes

No

No

Yes

Competitive Advantages

4.2.3 Store Operation Capability:

Lululemon’s success can’t be achieved without the store’s operation strategy. They provide customers with a shopping experience by training sales staff and providing yoga classes by recruiting some well-known fitness instructors, which can be an added value for customers. In addition, the stores can quickly collect feedback from customers to improve the speed of product iteration.

Is the resource Valuable?

Is the resources Rare?

Is the resource Inimitable?

Is the company organized to exploit?

Yes

No

No

Yes

Competitive Advantages

4.3. Priorities

4.3.1 Product Innovation:

Product innovation is one of Lululemon’s 5-year strategic plans mentioned in 2019, and it uses the “science of Feel ™” approach to achieve disruptive innovation and deliver apparel with new features. (P 78) This strategy helps Lululemon strengthen its market share and position in its core apparel business. 

4.3.2 Omni Guest Experience: 

“An experiential brand” is Lululemon’s goal so that Lululemon will provide service and experience to customers through multiple channels, including the buying experience, after-sales experience, and Lululemon’s community service experience. (P 78) Through the Omni Guest Experience, Lululemon’s customers become more loyal, and consumers become more aware of the Lululemon brand.

4.3.3. Store expansion:

China will be the next end zone for Lululemon, with plans to open more stores in Central Europe. New Zealand, France, Germany, and some other countries will also open new stores. (P 78)

4.4 Conclusion

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In Summary, Lululemon has a significant advantage in-store and community operations, where customers can enjoy added value beyond clothing purchases. In addition, Lululemon’s business partnerships provide it with the advantage of quick insight into market changes and iterative products. Each brand has some weak points, and Lululemon has less international brand presence than its competitors, such as Nike, Adidas, etc. As mentioned in the strategy in the priorities, store expansion is addressing the issue of international presence.

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5. Current and Generic Strategy

5.1 Business Mission

Lululemon’s core mission is to create components for people to live healthier lives.

Lululemon’s primary target customer is a sophisticated and educated woman who understands the importance of a healthy lifestyle.(lululemon,P74).

5.2 Current Strategy 

5.2.1 “Power of Three” Strategic Plan 

Product Innovation

Adopt the method of Science of Feetm to emphasize the use of fabric and that provided better performance and comfort.

Introduce new products with innovative functions.

Expand the company’s business (office/travel/Commute line) (lululemon,P75?

Omni Guest Experience 

The company establishes a good relationship with customers to bring           customers an all-round VIP experience.

Partnership with local yoga clubs and unique store formats.(lululemon,P75)

Continuing to Add lululemon Retail Store in Both Its Core North America Market and Internationally.

Expand international retail stores.

China was the company’s primary focus outside North America. (lululemon,P75)

5.2.2Product Line Strategy

Provide customers with diversified high-performance clothes, specially designed for yoga, swimming, running, cycling and general healthy lifestyle activities.

Offering only a limited range of appeal size(lululemon did not offer clothing in plus-size) (lululemon,P75)

5.2.3 Retail Distribution and Store Expansion Strategy

Lululemon had 491 company-operated stores in 17 countries.

Either acquire the franchisee’s existing store and operate it as a company store, or convert the franchise store 1,) a joint venture arrangement in which lululemon has a controlling stake in the store, while the former franchisee has a minority stake.

Focusing on expansion of the retail square footage and opening the new company-operated store.

Mainly located in streets, shopping centers and malls. (Lululemon, P76)

5.2.4 Merchandise strategy 

Full price in retail stores.

Offering special and seasonal items in a limited time period.

The cycle time of the product is usually 3, 6 or 12 weeks, so that the customer will always find new products in retail stores.

Offering free yoga classes once a week in every retail store and a 15% discount coupon will be offered after yoga classes.

Over inventories will ship to factory Outlet stores in North America and sold at a discount price. (lululemon, P77)

5.2.5 Showroom Strategy 

Opened many showrooms to introduce their brand and culture to different communities.

Making connections with people who like fitness(potential customers).

Offering classes and information about yoga. (lululemon, P77)

5.2.6 Direct-to-Customer Sale Strategy 

Provide an online shopping method. 

More convenient shopping method for customers who are living in an area without a retail store.

Increase brand awareness.

Offering online buyers different products compared in retail stores. (lululemon,P78)

5.2.7 Product Design and Development Strategy 

Innovative fabrics are used to give lululemon garments such characteristics as stretching ability, moisture wicking ability, color fastness, feel-good comfort and durability.

The product is designed with convenient functions (pocket for storing items and long sleeves that cover both hands).

Short delivery time in the market.

A series of tests were performed on the fabric, including performance characteristics such as pilling, shrinkage, abrasion resistance and color fastness before the product is introduced to the market. (Lululemon, P79)

5.2.8 Community Based Marketing Approach and Brand-Building Strategy 

Elected a yoga ambassador to provide free yoga classes once a week in every retail store and they will wear Logo t-shirts to help promote the brand.

Rarely use traditional advertising but prefer to rely on its community promotion.

Each store has a community event board and a black board. They will post up-coming events and information on the community event board. The black board is for customers to write down the comments or feedback for the lululemon. (lululemon,P80).

Strategic Issue

Is Lululemon competitive enough among the apparel market?

Lululemon should improve its competitive strategies to make it more competitive among its rivals in the apparel market. First of all, in terms of the product line strategy, there were about 300 million yoga practitioners but most such products were sized XS to XL and everyone has different figures. Lululemon needs to offer clothes with larger sizes to satisfy more customers’ requirements although focusing on sizes 12 and below was an integral part of its business strategy. (5.2.2 Production line strategy) Besides, Lululemon can open more Lululemon industry Outlets outside of North America to sell excess inventories and raise buyer concentration that Lululemon’s competitors sell through different channels including independent distributors, third-party retailers, franchisers, wholesalers, etc. (1.2.1 Medium-Low Buyer Bargaining Power) Moreover, if Lululemon has opportunities to own the trademark for the fabric, its products will be harder to inimitable and increase competitive advantages. (4.2.3 Inimitability) There are more and more companies entering into the apparel industry with high-advanced technology, so Lululemon has to update its system and technology management regularly to avoid being replaced in the future. (2.2.2 Competitors are technologically advanced and constantly innovating) Finally, Lululemon is suggested to explore greener raw materials and production methods to increase its goodwill so it does not become obsolete while maintaining the legality and ethics of its manufacturing operations. (2.7.1 Quality and ethical business conduct)[supanova_question]

Requirements: Here are the text requirements Minimum 800 words Maximum 2,000 essay

Requirements: Here are the text requirements

Minimum 800 words

Maximum 2,000

essay topic: Explain the impact of COVID-19 on Foreclosures in the US residential housing market

Please describe how COVID-19 has affected the Foreclosure housing market in the U.S. Please reference specific issues such as: How has COVID-19 affected homeowners facing foreclosure? Are the moratoriums on foreclosures helping or just delaying the inevitable? How has the auction process changed in response to the pandemic? Will there be opportunities for home buyers and investors in 2021 from a possible crash, and how will it be different from the housing crash of 2007- 2008. Include reference page for any text cited.[supanova_question]

Topic Options: For your submission, please write an essay of (1,500 to

Topic Options: For your submission, please write an essay of (1,500 to 2,500 words) about the topic listed below:

What is the overall carbon footprint of electric mowers (trimmers, blowers, tractors or other related equipment for garden) in comparison to their petroleum-powered counterparts?

Submissions should be creative, engaging, and thought-provoking. We want to see logical arguments that challenge us to think about the issues at hand. Essays should be grammatically correct and be free of typos.

All submissions should be wholly original works. Students may share information from any source, but it should be written in their own words with sources cited ,both in text and references page, when referring to a specific study or quote.

Essay format should be in APA 7.[supanova_question]

Essay: Ultimate Reality and the Meaning of Life Answer ONE of the

Essay: Ultimate Reality and the Meaning of Life

Answer ONE of the questions given below in an essay. Try to be concise and clear.

You must include your approach on ultimate reality and the meaning of life, and you must show where you agree or disagree with the other approaches you discuss, and why.

You must explain (not just mention) FIVE specific approaches with AT LEAST ONE from each of the three main parts of the course:

Part II: Western monotheism Part III: non-theistic western Part IV: Buddhism

An “approach” is somewhat more general than just an “idea”. Approaches are the main things we looked at and are generally but not always associated with specific people as the main point they are making. Occasional objections are not themselves approaches (e.g. Bertrand Russell’s objections to the cosmological argument are not “approaches”, but they were “ideas”). Each short story can be considered one approach. Buddhism contains many particular parts so you can consider various aspects in each module to be different “approaches” for this purpose. Think of the approaches as the well-developed views given to try to answer questions about reality or meaning. Be sure that the approaches you discuss are not too similar (e.g. Sartre and Camus are too similar). If in doubt email the professor ahead of time to confirm that your “approaches” will count.

The rubrics are:

Do you give and explain (not just mention) at least FIVE relevant and specific approaches from our class?

Are your explanations of these approaches accurate?

Did you give good reasons and evaluations, including how your view compares and/or why your view is better?

Did you clearly explain YOUR view of meaning and reality?

The Specific Questions (Identify at top of your essay as “A”, “B”, or “C”). Choose the essay that will best enable you to explain your view in relation to the topic given. Be sure to keep your focus on the particular theme in the question. You must choose relevant specific approaches for each question. Not all approaches are appropriate for all questions!

Note: for all three questions “meaningful life” should be understood to include the Buddhist conception(s) of Nirvana, and in general be understood broadly to include purpose & fulfillment.

A: This question has two main aspects, but the first aspect is more important:

Choose one of the main topics we considered regarding ultimate reality: either the existence of God or non-self in Buddhism. Give your analysis of reasoning for or against it, and defend your conclusion about the correct view of the matter. This should involve assessing three “approaches” to the existence of God (from II-b, II-c, or II-d) or non-self (from IV-b or IV-c). [Note: do not discuss approaches to meaning of life here!]

Then assess the effect of the conclusion you make on two approaches in other parts of the course – that is, if you write on God, assess its effect on something from part III (non- theistic) and something from part IV (Buddhism), and if you write on non-self, assess its effect on something from part II (God) and something from part III (non-theistic). To “assess its effect” explain how it would strengthen or weaken the approaches as plausible explanations of reality or meaning. Choose approaches that highlight the effects.

B: Aristotle’s claim that human nature determines the best kind of life for us. For him, humans were essentially rational beings, so a life using reason (life of learning) was best. Throughout the course we have seen other views that are based on human nature, although not all have discussed the issue in those terms. For this question, then, consider “human nature” to mean anything about us (not about the world) that is characteristic of all human beings. Which of the approaches to human nature and meaning do you think is right, and why? Explain and assess that approach and at least four others that in some way make the meaning of life dependent on human nature.

C: Do other beings (human or otherwise) ever prevent one from having a meaningful life, or make it harder? Or is the opposite true and other beings (human or otherwise) are needed for a meaningful life? Consider your own view of a meaningful life in relation to other beings as well as some approaches we have studied that in some way relate a meaningful life for a person to their relationship with other beings (human or otherwise), either preventing or making it harder or being needed. (These relationships might not be central to those approaches but need to be an aspect of the approach.)[supanova_question]

Essay option for final exam: In place of taking the timed, online

Essay option for final exam:

In place of taking the timed, online portion of the final exam, there is an essay option. If you take this option, you do not need to take the online final, but you should not necessarily assume that it is the easy option – you are going to have to work for it.

“The Russian Government under President Putin is taking steps that are weakening the rules-based order that we have benefitted from for seven decades. Our values, our security, our prosperity, and our very way of life are tied to this order. And we – and by we, I mean the United States and our closest partners – must come together to prevent Russia from succeeding.” (Samantha Power, former US Ambassador to the UN, 2017).

Power’s speech (see Pilot) provides in summary form the standard Western narrative of Putin’s aggressive/destabilizing actions over recent years without offering any context or explanation for why Russia might have acted in such a way. Watch the two Frontline documentaries (Putin’s Revenge 1 https://www.pbs.org/video/putins-revenge-mzz1lp/) and Putin’s Revenge 2 https://www.pbs.org/video/putins-revenge-part-two-wpsiq2/

These two documentaries fall into the “standard Western narrative” category, but at least try to get at why Putin might be out for revenge.

For a different perspective:

Watch Oliver Stone’s interview with Putin (part 2 of a 4 part series), then read the four other (short) readings on Pilot. Together these provide an alternative narrative for Russia’s behavior that challenges the standard western (i.e. West = good, Russia = bad) narrative.

Then, write a minimum of 7 pages on the following:

“Relations between the US and Russia are currently worse than have been at any point during the last 30 years. Why? Is there an objective narrative that explains why relations have deteriorated to such an extent? What, if anything, can be done to improve US-Russian relations moving forward?”

If you want to get a good grade on this, I suggest:

1. Reading/watching all the materials on Pilot

2. Making it clear to me that you have done this, either through direct quotes or references to the material (if you don’t make it clear, I will assume you have not).

3. Making a strong argument (based on the available factual information). Feel free to argue whatever you choose, but take a stand, don’t sit on the fence

4. Proof the paper before submitting it

5. Papers are due in the dropbox by 5pm Sunday December 12th.[supanova_question]